Oxford University is launching a human trial of a potential COVID-19 vaccine, with the daunting aim of making a successful jab available to the public later this year.
Of the more than 100 research projects around the world to find a vaccine — described by the United Nations as the only route back to “normality” — seven are currently in clinical trials, according to the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Such trials are already underway in China and the United States and are due to begin at the end of this month in Germany, where the federal vaccine authority gave the green light on Wednesday.
The British government strongly supports Oxford University’s work, and the first human trials were to start on Thursday, Health Minister Matt Hancock said.
He hailed the “promising development”, pointing out that it would normally take “years” to reach such a stage of vaccine development.
In its first phase, half of 1,112 volunteers will receive the potential vaccine against COVID-19, the other half a control vaccine to test its safety and efficacy.
The volunteers are aged between 18 and 55, are in good health, have not tested positive for COVID-19 and are not pregnant or breastfeeding.
Ten members will get two dosages of the trial antibody, four weeks apart.
Professor Sarah Gilbert’s team hopes for an 80 percent success rate, and plans to produce one million doses by September, with the aim of making it widely available by the autumn if successful.
